Acute Liver Failure

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Acute liver failure is a rare condition that happens when your liver suddenly begins to lose its ability to function. This is frequently the immediate result of an overdose of medication or poisoning. Chronic liver failure happens over a long stretch of time.

Symptoms

If you have acute liver failure, you may first experience symptoms like fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, discomfort on your right side, just below your ribs, and diarrhea. As the disease progresses, however, you may also become confused and extremely sleepy. Other symptoms include bruising or bleeding easily, vomiting blood, and a buildup of fluid in your abdomen.

Who’s at risk

Too much acetaminophen, a painkiller present in many over-the-counter and prescription medicine, causes the majority of cases of acute liver failure. Some cases have no known cause,

Diagnosis

Liver failure is a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention. Your doctor will probably perform an initial evaluation to check for signs of hepatitis. These include jaundice, fatigue, and abdominal pain. Your doctor will also test your mental alertness. He or she may also do a blood test called prothrombin time. This measures your blood’s ability to coagulate (thicken).

Treatment

Treatment for acute liver failure depends on the underlying cause. If your doctor suspects you took too much acetaminophen within the past several hours, he or she will probably give you activated charcoal. This will help your body reduce the absorption of the medication in your gastrointestinal tract. N-acetylcysteine is another drug that can help with an acetaminophen overdose. You can take this medicine either by mouth or through your vein. N-acetylcysteine is also sometimes beneficial to people with acute liver failure that was not caused by too much acetaminophen.

If viral hepatitis is the cause of your acute liver failure, your doctor may give you the drug lamivudine. This is in a class of medications called nucleoside analogs. These drugs work by stopping the virus from replicating. If autoimmune hepatitis is causing your liver failure, your doctor can treat you with steroids.

If your doctor cannot find the cause of your acute liver failure, he or she may order a liver biopsy. This will provide more information and help determine your course of treatment.

If treatment can’t get your liver functioning again, you may be a candidate for a liver transplant. Good candidates are strong enough for surgery and don’t have underlying cardiovascular disease, severe infection, or other diseases like AIDS. If your doctor approves you for a liver transplant, your name will be placed on a waiting list to receive a donated organ. People with the most urgent need are placed at the top of the list.

While you are waiting for a liver to become available, you may be able to undergo some therapies to keep you alive. However, the effectiveness of these treatments is unclear.

Complications

If you have acute liver failure, common complications include bacterial and fungal infection and low blood sugar. Swelling of the brain is another side effect of acute liver failure, and one of the most serious.

Prevention

You can prevent some of the underlying causes of acute liver failure. To avoid acetaminophen overdose, always follow the directions on the label when taking a drug that contains acetaminophen. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor if you have any questions.

You can reduce your risk of contracting viral hepatitis by avoiding contact with the blood or feces of an infected person. If you visit other countries, particularly developing nations, you should avoid the local tap water. Vaccines are available to prevent hepatitis A and B.

When to call the doctor

Acute liver failure can occur in as little as 48 hours. It’s important to seek medical treatment at the first signs of trouble. These may include fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, and discomfort in your right side, just below your ribs.